fish 105pm - I wasn't thinking of any formal proceedings at all. My point is that it should be possible for a citizen or like minded citizens to shun any one or group without getting the state involved. I used Sharia as an example (perhaps poor) of why some of the western culture (me included) would shun Muslims who practice or insist on practicing Sharia.

George Rebane Indiana’s new law providing for the practice of religious freedom is not really a new law at all, but joined at the hip with bipartisan legislation – Religious Freedom Restoration Act - passed in 1993 and signed by President Clinton. That law clarified and underlined the Constitut...

fish 1236pm - But the seminal point here is the reason for "those who lack of have greatly diminished options." There may be a valid reason for the overwhelming majority of a society for removing or greatly diminishing options to a minority - say, an Islamic cohort that desires to practice Sharia in its own closed enclaves. I can think of many cases wherein we don't need to focus any efforts to provide or expand options for those lacking or so restricted. I suppose it all depends on the nature of what it is for which we should or not consider options.

George Rebane Indiana’s new law providing for the practice of religious freedom is not really a new law at all, but joined at the hip with bipartisan legislation – Religious Freedom Restoration Act - passed in 1993 and signed by President Clinton. That law clarified and underlined the Constitut...

MichaelK 1144am - good points and questions. Agreed that no country is "genuinely free", but that does not subtract from our efforts to strive for that objective.
However, the examples of discrimination you cite, especially toward Negroes, are not of this conversation. To prevent an American citizen from voting or to cause him physical harm because of his skin color is not the kind of discrimination we are discussing here. Those are and were felonious infractions of federal laws already on the books. Let's not confuse criminality with discrimination that only involves associations and service, especially of the kind for which substitutions are readily available.
But your last question is the most important and difficult. Perhaps there will be nothing "to stop oppression (of the non-criminal kind) of those who lack options". Then if some group, for whatever reason, is so shunned by EVERYONE else in a society, then it clearly indicates that the uniformly shunned group does not belong in that society, nor can it contribute to the society's harmonious life. Should such shunning be prohibited at the point of a government gun? I think not.

George Rebane Indiana’s new law providing for the practice of religious freedom is not really a new law at all, but joined at the hip with bipartisan legislation – Religious Freedom Restoration Act - passed in 1993 and signed by President Clinton. That law clarified and underlined the Constitut...

Religions have had strictures on business - what kind, with whom, etc - for millennia. Forced violation of those strictures has always been seen as the denial of religious freedoms. Progressives have come to attack that reality for the same reason they oppose all things which differentiate human beings. Since politically we must be homogeneous, so must we be biologically and cognitively.
Gov Mike Pence of Indiana has penned a good piece that further clarifies what the lamestream is trying to obfuscate about Indiana's new law.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/mike-pence-ensuring-religious-freedom-in-indiana-1427757799?mod=hp_opinion

George Rebane Indiana’s new law providing for the practice of religious freedom is not really a new law at all, but joined at the hip with bipartisan legislation – Religious Freedom Restoration Act - passed in 1993 and signed by President Clinton. That law clarified and underlined the Constitut...

In a free country what is the real harm in allowing people to openly practice discriminatory behavior as they will? Others viewing their choices on associations and services provided may also ostracize them as they will by speaking out or shunning them for their unacceptable choices. That happens anyway, but in an environment today where we are no longer free to choose how we behave. The laws have become more constraining than the Founders had in mind.

George Rebane Indiana’s new law providing for the practice of religious freedom is not really a new law at all, but joined at the hip with bipartisan legislation – Religious Freedom Restoration Act - passed in 1993 and signed by President Clinton. That law clarified and underlined the Constitut...

PaulE 722pm - I don't know Paul, but a couple of guys ordering a wedding cake for their nuptials may provide the merchant with a hint. But that's not the point here. If it's my business, I should be able to exercise my right to serve someone or not based on something I care to explain or keep to myself.
And if my decision generates ill will among my other clients who then boycott me so as to cause my business to fail, so be it. It is the fate I have chosen or mistakenly stumbled upon. I am responsible.
(couldn't understand your last question, please restate)

George Rebane Indiana’s new law providing for the practice of religious freedom is not really a new law at all, but joined at the hip with bipartisan legislation – Religious Freedom Restoration Act - passed in 1993 and signed by President Clinton. That law clarified and underlined the Constitut...

[As a surprise to no one save Team Obama and the land's progressives, Iran has finally done what was expected and told us to go pound sand on the major provisions of the oh-so-hoped-for agreement. gjr] Continue reading

George Rebane Indiana’s new law providing for the practice of religious freedom is not really a new law at all, but joined at the hip with bipartisan legislation – Religious Freedom Restoration Act - passed in 1993 and signed by... Continue reading

MichaelK 842pm - Another excellent argument for legalizing MJ. Kids will indeed have a harder time getting the weed when its cheapest distribution channels are all legal and regulated. Black market MJ will then cost a lot more than now because there will be fewer illegal growers. At least that is how the putative economics seems to work out.
Does anyone know the stats yet from WA and CO on such sales to kids and their post legalization consumption rates?

[Well, that was quite an episode in the last sandbox that I hope has run its course, or at least not let that thread of ad hominem exchanges leak out. I see that Sen Ted Cruz will throw his hat in the ring tomorrow, NATO's chief sees continued expansion from Putin that may get out of hand, and ...

Dear People - the level of debate here sometimes becomes a bit sophomoric, but that is OK because, after all, this is the Sandbox. However, questioning whether a longtem dietary indiscretion that perhaps contributes to the deaths of millions should have its suppliers executed vs a substance that indisputably contributes to specific deaths is a bit humorous, and more so when the questioner believes he's actually in there duking it out on a peer intellectual level.

[Well, that was quite an episode in the last sandbox that I hope has run its course, or at least not let that thread of ad hominem exchanges leak out. I see that Sen Ted Cruz will throw his hat in the ring tomorrow, NATO's chief sees continued expansion from Putin that may get out of hand, and ...

George Rebane Gov Jerry Brown demonstrated to many of us that he has entered his dotage. The man called Sen Ted Cruz “unfit for office” for no other reason than the senator’s rejecting the politicized consensus of manmade global warming to which Moonbeam added that the same scientists now blame ...

George Rebane Gov Jerry Brown demonstrated to many of us that he has entered his dotage. The man called Sen Ted Cruz “unfit for office” for no other reason than the senator’s rejecting the politicized consensus of manmade global warming to which Moonbeam added that the same scientists now blame ...

George Rebane Gov Jerry Brown demonstrated to many of us that he has entered his dotage. The man called Sen Ted Cruz “unfit for office” for no other reason than the senator’s rejecting the politicized consensus of manmade global warming... Continue reading

Christian Dominionism. Didn’t even know what it was until PaulE pointed out that Rev Rafael Cruz was preaching it. In doing a little reading, it seems to me to be a non-starter faction of Christian Protestants. Most certainly it would not promote a government condoned in our Constitution. If the progressives can taint Sen Cruz with his father’s froth, then it will be another factor working against his Republican nomination, let alone being elected President.
I am reminded that the (to me) equivalently disturbing background of Barack Hussein Obama was not picked up by the lamestream when it was discovered that he was raised by radical collectivist ideologues and trained in Islam during his youth. Obama has amply demonstrated the damaging influence of his youth, and the nation is paying for it.
IMHO taking into account a candidate’s background, especially his ‘kinderstube’ (as the twig is bent, …), is a proper task for the both the media and the voters.
Christians do believe in the Great Commission calling upon them to promulgate, each in his own way, the Gospel according to Jesus Christ. If that results in Christian voting pluralities, or even majorities, then they will still be bound by the established constitutions in the lands where they live. There is no guarantee that Christian theocracies will result, because, after all, we were instructed to “render unto Caesar … .”

[Well, that was quite an episode in the last sandbox that I hope has run its course, or at least not let that thread of ad hominem exchanges leak out. I see that Sen Ted Cruz will throw his hat in the ring tomorrow, NATO's chief sees continued expansion from Putin that may get out of hand, and ...

PaulE 852am - Pray tell how the senator's father's religious teachings will be used by the Left to harm the senator's campaign? The Repubs have yet to attack Obama for his considerable exposure to Islam during his formative years. Will this be another example of the Right/Left asymmetry?

[Well, that was quite an episode in the last sandbox that I hope has run its course, or at least not let that thread of ad hominem exchanges leak out. I see that Sen Ted Cruz will throw his hat in the ring tomorrow, NATO's chief sees continued expansion from Putin that may get out of hand, and ...

Russ Steele posts on a very informative and stimulating conversation our party at the Mercatus Conference had with Gov Ricketts of Nebraska. The 30+ min conversation was especially rewarding because it was not hurried and included only us and the governor - time to talk of many things in detail. The governor was very open and clear in his responses, he did not go into the usual long-winded and safe talking points that many politicians do during such encounters.
Our main takeaway was how well Nebraska is being fiscally managed and its aggressive plan to grow its agricultural sector at California's expense. Nebraska and other states are busy harvesting the dissatisfaction of our agri-businesses with the idiotic regulations and taxes that Sacramento imposes on us all. And this is made even more appealing since our progressive voters are blind to all of it and continue electing politicians who just want to pile on more of the same.
Russ has more details on this fortunate meeting with Gov Ricketts on his blog here -
http://sierrafoothillcommentary.com/2015/03/22/california-cheese-may-soon-be-nebraska-cheese/

[Well, that was quite an episode in the last sandbox that I hope has run its course, or at least not let that thread of ad hominem exchanges leak out. I see that Sen Ted Cruz will throw his hat in the ring tomorrow, NATO's chief sees continued expansion from Putin that may get out of hand, and ...

[Well, that was quite an episode in the last sandbox that I hope has run its course, or at least not let that thread of ad hominem exchanges leak out. I see that Sen Ted Cruz will throw his hat... Continue reading

George Rebane We are here in Scottsdale again attending the annual conference of the Mercatus Center and Institute for Humane Studies. For the last several years it has been an annual event for us and friends to caravan down and... Continue reading

[Am on travel and daily connectivity is iffy. Am very interested in hearing readers' take on what is the definitive yet plausible disclosure about Hillary's emails that would start other Dems coming out of the woodwork to throw their hats... Continue reading

Gregory 509pm - Well, that now makes two of us. I checked back and couldn't even find any '148pm' comment, let alone one by you. I haven't a clue how I connected your name to that affirmation of Popeye's. Forgive me.

[So much to think and talk about - Hillary's debacles and scandals and incipient candidacy(?), Kentucky's two senators starting to hug each other, Obama's Iranian bumble, The Fed's prevarication on interest rates and the market's dive, Iran 'advising' Iraqi troops against ISIS (remember, these t...

Just as a reference point. The Democrats have controlled all fed govt bureaucracies - IRS, EPA, FDA, ... - for some decades now, regardless who sits in the WH or who controls which house of Congress. This is confirmed through numerous polls of which party affiliation fed employees support. They know how their careers are protected, and it isn't by those attempting to reduce the scope of government.

George Rebane One of the major RR tenets over the years has been that the voters, those who resonate with the promises and programs promoted by the Left, are more than somewhat stunted in their abilities to comprehend and reason about the issues of the day. Admittedly these issues have become m...

[So much to think and talk about - Hillary's debacles and scandals and incipient candidacy(?), Kentucky's two senators starting to hug each other, Obama's Iranian bumble, The Fed's prevarication on interest rates and the market's dive, Iran 'advising' Iraqi troops against ISIS (remember, these t...

re Ben Emery - For the record Ben, I am again sorry to hear of your taking leave of RR, and I hope that your health and desire to correct the incorregibles will allow you to return sooner than later. You are an important member of this blog's progressive cohort, and bring an unique and well-voiced perspective to these discussions and debates. My prayers are with you Ben.

George Rebane One of the major RR tenets over the years has been that the voters, those who resonate with the promises and programs promoted by the Left, are more than somewhat stunted in their abilities to comprehend and reason about the issues of the day. Admittedly these issues have become m...

fish 728am - Interesting that you bring up the 'if shit's gonna happen, let it happen on their watch' argument. That is good and well as far as it goes. However, depending how deep the next dip is and how desperate/dumb are the growing cohort of systemically unemployed, a progressive administration has only one tune to play, and that is tighten down on everything and go more authoritarian cum totalitarian. A Hillary would never think of doing anything like supporting more freedom and enterprise through tax reform and deregulation. And that would accelerate our downward spiral.
Would like to hear your (and our readers') treatment of that scenario in this election calculus.

George Rebane One of the major RR tenets over the years has been that the voters, those who resonate with the promises and programs promoted by the Left, are more than somewhat stunted in their abilities to comprehend and reason about the issues of the day. Admittedly these issues have become m...

George Rebane One of the major RR tenets over the years has been that the voters, those who resonate with the promises and programs promoted by the Left, are more than somewhat stunted in their abilities to comprehend and reason about the issues of the day. Admittedly these issues have become m...